Essence of Place

Winegrowing Philosophy

We believe that world-class wine is derived from estate vineyards—meticulously and sustainably farmed for plant balance and longevity. For us, this is a family journey. From the start, we have focused on involvement within the larger wine community, upping our game with every growing season and celebrating the work of our Team and peers. Raising all boats!

We believe that terroir is a partnership between the winegrower and place. Delmas produces small lots of estate wines from a single vineyard; showcasing distinctive qualities of that place, and nowhere else.

We take full control of the entire process from growing the grapes to selling the wine. Yet, we take pleasure in knowing that there is always a random element. We never know precisely what Mother Nature may determine to express, and embrace each vintage’s eccentricities. We adapt to seasonal variation by focusing our timely efforts on the requisite work to achieve balance in the vineyard: consequently, highlighting the character of each vintage.

And, in response to potential extreme winter cold from the north that can result in bud damage and crop loss, as well as the cutting down of trunks and retraining of spur positions, we created a new training form for the Syrah and Grenache; the MHT (mini-head-trained vines). The advantage of this low-single trunk, goblet architecture allows for permanent spur positions, less water use, better air flow and light penetration and well-positioned clusters: consistently ensuring plant health/balance, fruit maturation and flavor development.

Finally, we have employed a management strategy that, at its core, relies on regenerative agriculture, boots-in-the-rows and timely execution; resulting in a balanced and respectful expression of SJR Vineyard.

SJR Vineyard

Importantly, our first investment was the vineyard. Given the financial commitment and time it takes to properly mature a vineyard, it is not common practice in the Northwest today to invest in an estate vineyard. However, this is fundamental to controlling wine quality. We invested further in the vineyard’s infrastructure and management in an effort to control all facets of quality throughout the winegrowing process. With a passion for making expressive wines that bring joy to the palate, we are keen to fully realize the potential for growing the highest quality Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault wine grapes; birthing wines true to their place of origin. Established in 2007, SJR Vineyard is situated in The Rocks District AVA on 13 acres within the Walla Walla Valley. We are committed to making single-vineyard, estate-controlled wines utilizing sustainable farming practices. We are obsessive about exploiting balanced soil conditions and native weather patterns to mature wine grapes that fully express their terroir and vintage. Our viticulture discipline is strong and addresses each block and variety independently – assessing appropriate training form, trellis structure, pruning rigor, nutrient and irrigation strategy. We know that the eventual capacity of the whole vine (and the resulting wine quality) is based on very careful attention to these details.

Milestones

2024 represents the 18th leaf of SJR Vineyard. Syrah (co-fermented with Viognier), Grenache, Viognier, and The Peddler (magnum only) Syrah make up our current offerings. The B | D | R red wine will debut in 2025; representing a new direction for the Estate. In this regard, and with the ultimate goal of creating both RED and WHITE Rhône variety blends, we will initiate a replanting effort over 1.5 acres in 2024-25: with new clones of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Viognier; and two new varieties - Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc - which will be slated for the B | D | R WHITE program. All new plantings will be on various rootstocks.

The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater

The Rocks District is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries (96%) are dictated by a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single land form (alluvial fan). TTB approval of this 5.9 square mile (3,767 acre) AVA within Walla Walla Valley was granted in 2015. SJR Vineyard resides at the Southwest corner of this Oregon AVA. The Rocks District is receiving international recognition for its wines, particularly Syrah. There is no denying the distinctive character of these wines. The Rocks District advantages of water availability, excellent drainage and favorable climate provide the basis for global distinction. Rocks District wine grapes from small, meticulously farmed, vineyard parcels have made their presence felt across the globe over the last couple of decades. Importantly, diversity prevails within The Rocks District, and provides a framework for charting future vineyard development—where hands-on work, close proximity to the land and a discernable independent spirit represent a unique winegrowing culture opportunity.